The Town FilesOrono, Maine
Town in Penobscot County · population 11,183 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $272,600
- Household income
- $61,528
- Jan low / Jul high
- 6° / 79°
- Snow a year
- 75 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 1
- Median age
- 21.8
Orono is a town of 11,183 people in Penobscot County, Maine. The median home is worth $272,600, above the typical Maine town ($238,950). It ranks more walkable than 99% of Maine towns, better for young professionals than 99% of Maine towns, more of a college town than 99% of Maine towns.
How Orono ranks
Percentile among Maine towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Maine towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Orono is worth $272,600, above the typical Maine town ($238,950). Homes cost about 4.4 times the median household income of $61,528, which is more affordable than 21% of Maine towns. Median rent is $1,255 a month. 46.6% of households own their home.
| Housing | Orono | Typical Maine town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $272,600 | $238,950 |
| Median rent | $1,255 | $1,027 |
| Median household income | $61,528 | $68,967 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.4× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 46.6% | 82.4% |
| Median year built | 1977 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.4% | — |
Who lives in Orono
| People | Orono | Typical Maine town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 21.8 | 46.9 |
| Age 65 and over | 11.4% | 22.9% |
| Under 18 | 6.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 66.8% | 28.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 24.9% | 10.7% |
| Veterans | 2.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 5.4% | — |
| Work from home | 11.3% | 12.3% |
| Average commute | 15.2 min | 25.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 84.4% | 90.0% |
Weather in Orono
July highs average 79.1°F and January lows 6.4°F. About 44.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 74.6 inches of snow (typical Maine town: 77.2 in). Expect about 2 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 173 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Orono since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical Maine town. The strongest, an F1, struck on July 2, 1958 about 3.4 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 2, 1958.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 23 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on June 28, 1991.
Severe weather in Penobscot County since 1996
Penobscot County has been included in 22 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, freezing, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| January 30, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4754: Severe Storm And Flooding |
| September 14, 2023 | Hurricane | EM-3598: Hurricane Lee |
| April 4, 2020 | Biological | DR-4522: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3444: Covid-19 |
| January 2, 2018 | Severe Storm | DR-4354: Severe Storm And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Penobscot County
Penobscot County had 71,983 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $55,593 a year. Unemployment was 3.1% in 2023; in Orono itself the ACS puts it at 5.1%.
Public schools in Orono
3 public schools with 837 students, about 10.9 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Orono High School | 9-12 | 369 | 11.5 |
| Asa C Adams School | PK-5 | 323 | 10.8 |
| Orono Middle School | 6-8 | 145 | 9.7 |
Towns near Orono
- Orono, ME2.5 mi · 10,185 people · home $262,900
- Bangor, ME4.4 mi · 31,753 people · home $219,600
- Old Town, ME5.0 mi · 7,431 people · home $208,100
- Glenburn, ME5.3 mi · 4,648 people · home $276,900
- Brewer, ME6.7 mi · 9,672 people · home $245,300
- Holden, ME8.8 mi · 3,277 people · home $289,400
- Hermon, ME9.7 mi · 6,461 people · home $333,600
- Hampden, ME10.5 mi · 4,516 people · home $285,900
Orono questions
Is Orono, Maine a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Orono scores better for retirees than 16% of Maine towns and quieter than 1%. 11.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 21.8).
How much does a house cost in Orono?
The median owner-occupied home in Orono is valued at $272,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $61,528, so homes cost about 4.4 times income. Median rent is $1,255 a month.
What is the weather like in Orono?
July highs average 79.1°F and January lows 6.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 44.4 inches of precipitation a year and 74.6 inches of snow.
Does Orono get tornadoes?
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Orono since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F1 on July 2, 1958. The typical Maine town has had 2.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)